


The Keeler Alarm

by Alvicia



Category: Starfighter (Comic), Starfighter Eclipse
Genre: F/M, M/M, Mentions of Blood, appreciate Selene 2k15, mentions of Luna/Artemis, slight Cain/Abel I guess, worrying boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 16:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4144416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alvicia/pseuds/Alvicia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because Encke had rage, a lot of it, but he knew how to control it. <br/>Keeler, on the flipside, rarely raged. But when he did; it wasn’t under control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Keeler Alarm

**Author's Note:**

> So, hello everyone! This is like, my first fic ever and it was written at literally the middle of the night. English isn't my first language either, so feel free to correct grammatical (or other) errors. 
> 
> Also I suck at titling orz. 
> 
> This fic takes place after the events of Starfighter: Eclipse, so there is some spoilers, be warned!   
> My sole purpose with this fic is to give some spotlights to some characters and pairings that doesn't get enough of it. So enjoy I guess!

Encke wasn’t a man of feelings.   
Not many fighters were, to be honest, but Encke had always known he differentiated from them (and took pride in doing so). Other fighters, who often lacked in morality, compassion and to be frank, intelligence, often made up for it with muscles rage, possessiveness and pride. Fighters were often labeled stupid, impulsive and wild (and many of them were).   
Admittedly, Encke possessed a few of these traits, but he had the quite remarkable skill of knowing how to detach him from these feelings. You could even say that what Encke had that made him so different from the other fighters were firstly his common sense but also by his distinguishing amount of self-control.  
Because Encke had rage, a lot of it, but he knew how to control it.   
Keeler, on the flipside, rarely raged. But when he did; it wasn’t under control.

 

It was a fairly normal day.   
Everything had settled down, or at least calmed, after the whole Derelict business and Encke felt relieved having to deal with normal catfights between the fighters instead of- brainwashed zombies. He was heavily relieved, because he really didn’t like the ordeal about the Derelict. Firstly because he had for once felt like he didn’t know what was happening and that had frustrated him. And secondly Keeler, who he had barely seen at all, seemed to be in a constant spiral of anxiety and bad health. Even now though, days after, he was still as busy as ever, still working with decrypting and decoding and other whatnots.   
Knowing Keeler, he was probably heads deep in it after just the forenoon workshift. Probably hadn’t even had lunch. Probably had a headache but was still pushing himself hard. Too hard. 

And Encke, who previously mentioned was quite good at detaching himself from both thoughts and feelings, now couldn’t stop thinking about his navigator. Not that he ever could, but there weren’t thought like the ones he usually thought, not the ones about how much he missed the others soft hands and soft eyes and soft voice- how everything about Keeler was warm and comforting. When Encke had a bad day, he found himself thinking about the way Keeler fit in his arms, right under his chin. Now, these thoughts were replaced with others, more unpleasant ones about paler-than-usual Keeler, or Keeler coughing blood as Encke gently massaged his back.   
Encke thought that it was actually some kind of special ability that all fighters, also probably all navigators as well, possessed, that made it able for them to know when there was something bad going on with their other half. And Encke’s Keeler alarm was at the moment spinning out of control. 

“Artemis.” Encke snapped, now unable to hold of the negative feeling anymore and the other fighter looked from up at his work at the hangar.   
“Yes?” Artemis asked, eyes stuck on Encke’s as the other rose from his work, brushing off his pants hurriedly.   
“Got to check on- a few things, take over for me.” He said courtly and Artemis nodded, not questioning his superior. Because Encke was also his friend, and even if he weren’t, he’d know that it was Keeler who Encke was thinking off. Perhaps because more often than not was the braided navigator on his mind. Artemis couldn’t blame him, he knew from personal experience how attached could get to your “other half”. He chuckled quietly as he turned to Encke.   
“Do me a favor and greet Luna while you’re there.” He grinned. Encke might’ve flushed, because Artemis could see the host of red, but sent him a cold stare that Artemis knew was playful. He guess he was quite happy they were friends after all. 

Encke didn’t hurry, at first. He stuck his hands in his pockets and held his head high as he passed other fighters and navigators in the ships corridors. If he ran, he’d look suspicious or make other crewmates curious and worried and then they’d start yelling and causing trouble and Encke would have to deal with them one way or another. And frankly, he didn’t feel like he had time for that.   
As he closed in on the bridge however, in his own speed, he was almost overrun by a stressed navigator.   
“Sir!” the navigator breathed. Encke recognized him immediately, confident his name was Selene. He had been on the Derelict mission along with Helios, his fighter. Selene was a pretty thin figure, looking quite fragile. Not much to the eye, nor did he seem to possess an especially outgoing personality. From what he had heard form Keeler however, he knew this one was quite a talent.   
“Selene?” Encke said slowly, but his tone shifted into a more questioning one when he saw how shaken the other was. Even if this wasn’t his own navigator, there was obvious that there was something really wrong going on here.   
Selene was trembling, one hand pressed against one of his ears while the other were hugging his own, shaky torso. From his other ear, which was hidden slightly by the gradient locks of his hair, Encke could sight blood seeping out in a slow flow. This made the bad feeling grow into a very uncomfortable lump in his throat.   
“Selene!?” he repeated, grabbing the others shoulders to steady him as the navigators trembling turned into swaying.   
“We-we need a med.” The other breathed. “And- I- Helios.”   
Encke’s mind was running like crazy by now, mostly with Keeler, Keeler, is Keeler okay!? but just gave the wounded navigator a short nod and called both meds and fighters down to the bridge. Normally he wouldn’t have done that, seeing how protecting fighters could get, but he felt that if something serious had happened to the navigators, he needed all the help he could get.   
With some help from Encke, Selene slumped down against the wall, worriedly watching the other close his eyes and let out a long shaky breath.   
“I’ll be okay.” Selene murmured, dizzy and weak in a way that made Encke doubt the navigators words. But Encke couldn’t stay, Keeler, and nodded shortly before leaving the other as he hurried into the bridge. 

 

“What were you thinking!?”   
Encke froze as he entered the bridge, the yelling reaching his ears before he could grasp what was happening. All he managed to pick up was that it was Keelers voice and Keeler definitely should never sound like that.   
“Sir, I-“  
“Do you realize what could’ve happened!? How many that could’ve died because of your actions!?”  
Keeler was standing in the middle of the room and shit, he was a mess; eyes wide in a blur of emotions that Encke couldn’t read. It seemed like disappointment, like fright, but mostly something that Encke wasn’t used to seeing in his navigator’s eyes. Anger.   
“I didn’t-“, the navigator that Keeler was yelling at couldn’t even defend himself, probably as much in shock as Encke was. The other navigator was quite a tall one. He rose quite high above Keeler and wasn’t as thin as navigators often were, but he still seemed tiny in comparison to the furious Keeler. 

Encke had always admired Keeler’s ability to keep it together during these moments. If something went wrong, he took it out on himself instead. He rarely lost his temper, always managed to stay calm and serious. But this- this wasn’t Keeler. This was someone who nearly lost his whole team. 

“Keeler!” Encke almost barked out across the room. He really didn’t mean to sound harsh but he was at the moment just overwhelmed by a shit ton of emotions; shocked, maybe even slightly scared (if Keeler reacted like this, it must’ve been something really serious) and also worried (Keeler looked pale and Encke could see him shaking from across the room, and Encke knew that Keeler’s condition had a tendency to start acting up when Keeler himself wasn’t feeling that good), but Encke was mostly so relieved he couldn’t breathe. Keeler was alive, on his legs and yelled and that was an infinite times better than lifeless Keeler on the floor. 

Keeler turned to look at him, but didn’t respond. Encke just watched as the man crumbled together, his shoulders slumped down and the blond let out a long shaky breath before running up to his fighter. If they were alone, Encke was pretty confident that he would’ve dragged the other into a deep, passionate kiss, but he had to settle for a long hug instead.   
Maybe it wasn’t what they should’ve done, because they were the ones that were supposed to calm the others down and showing that they were frightened wasn’t at all the best way to do so, but right now Encke needed that hug so badly. And so what they were supposed to be the leaders, Encke loved the man!  
“The meds are on their way.” Encke informed Keeler, but it was also directed to the other navigators that were all deadly quiet. Some were slumped together on the floor, some were leaning against their computers, but they were all conscious so Encke didn’t pay them much attention.   
“What happened!?” Encke asked Keeler while he scanned him for injuries.   
“There was a- some kind of block over some of the data.” Keeler began, taking a deep breath to calm his trembling. “ A navigator-“ Encke could see the tall navigator who just got yelled at tense up, “tried to decrypt the block without asking for authorization or scan it. It was some sort of- malware and it triggered some audio- attack. I don’t know. Selene and I got it deleted but it- it did some sort of physical damage to everyone in here. ” Keeler’s voice broke and Encke could tell that he was really shaken.  
“It felt like our brains started boiling, now it just feels fried.” Another Navigator filled in and Keeler nodded, agreeing, while keeping his eyes locked onto Enckes chest. Encke laid one hand at the others shoulder and casually brushed away a strand of the others hair with his other.   
“Let’s get everyone to the meds.” He murmured and Keeler nodded shortly, swaying into Encke’s side as the fighter lead him out from the bridge. 

Outside the bridge there was an incredible commotion; fighters looking for their navigators, meds starting to arrive rushing in, Cain yelling his lungs at about everyone (though Abel seemed to have been out when everything had happened, because he was standing next to his fighter and seemingly trying to figure out what had happened). Encke caught a quick glance of Artemis rushing in calling after Luna and let out a sigh. Well, so much for taking over after him.   
Selene, who was left sitting where Encke left him, was now however caught in his fighter’s arms, leaning his head against Helios’ shoulder as the fighter kept on brushing through the wounded navigator’s hair. He did look up as he caught sight of Keeler and Encke and gave them a soft glance. Helios then quickly turned to face them and moved Selene so he was resting against his chest instead.   
“What happened!?” Helios asked (yelled) and Keeler let out a sigh, opening his mouth to tell the story again.   
“We will inform everyone about what happened when the wounded navigators are at the meds.” Encke interrupted and Keeler nodded shortly.   
“But-“ Helios started but was quieted by his navigator that gently held a finger over the others mouth to silence him. Helios stopped himself and nodded instead, then turned his attention back to Selene. 

 

“I like that Selene kid.” Encke grumbled as they kept on walking and Keeler laughed breathlessly.  
“He saved us.” Keeler breathed. “Again.”   
Encke nodded and softly bumped his hips against Keeler’s, then moved his hand to rest around the others waist. “With your help, that is.” The fighter murmured. Keeler breathed in softly and Encke hesitated as a med approached them.   
“Will you be okay?” Encke asked.   
“Yeah, just make sure Cain doesn’t kill the navigator over there.” Keeler murmured as he cast a glance to the center of all noise, where Cain was standing yelling and threatening the navigator who accidentally triggered the data’s defense. Abel was now holding off his fighter by pulling his arms and yelling at him and Encke had to roll his eyes at the Reliant crew.   
“I was pretty sure you were going to kill him in there.” Encke remarked with a little smirk towards his lover that flushed slightly.   
“He compromised the entire bridge.” The navigator defended. “Of course I got mad.”   
The med that stood a little further away, seemed to get more and more impatient at Encke that refused to let the wounded navigator go and Encke hurriedly sneaked a kiss to the navigator’s ear, pretending to whisper something.   
“Mhm.” Keeler pretended to answer and Encke sent him a smirk. He brushed over the others hand, so subtly that no one would notice (everyone was far too busy with their own business anyways) and then let the med take over. 

As Encke set steer back towards the hangar, he felt like he had proven the existence of the link between a fighter and a navigator. There had to be something psychic there.  
Cain was still yelling when Encke passed him, and as the younger fighter turned towards him Encke groaned internally.   
“Enck-“ he began but before he had the chance to finish Encke took a hold of Cain’s ear and shoved him into the nearest wall to shut him up before continuing down to the hangar. He could hear Abel start laughing and it managed to add on to the happy feeling that bubbled inside of him.

Okay, so well, Encke wasn’t often a man of feelings. But sometimes.


End file.
